The present application relates to semiconductor technology, and more particularly, to a semiconductor structure including a nanoporous membrane formed on a semiconductor substrate utilizing a self-assembled heteroepitaxial oxide nanocomposite film. The present application also provides a method of forming the same.
Nanoporous membranes are known and can be used in a wide variety of applications including, for example, in fuel cells, gas sensors, medical applications and biological applications. Nanoporous membranes can be formed by directly depositing a porous structure utilizing solution based technology. Alternatively, the porous structures that provide the nanoporous membranes can be formed utilizing a post deposition process such as, for example, chemical etching, electrochemical processing or high resolution photolithographic patterning.
Some of these processes used in providing the nanoporous membranes are very expensive. Alternatively or additionally, some of the processes may require multiple processing steps and/or are difficult to fabricate on semiconductor devices. As such, there is a need for providing nanoporous membranes that can be readily integrated on a semiconductor substrate such as, for example, silicon.